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The Windsor Town Council voted 3-0 on Nov. 12 to purchase an additional pickup truck for the town’s Public Works Department. 

At Councilman Walter Bernacki’s recommendation, the council chose a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 Crew Cab 4-by-4 Long Bed.

Windsor Town Manager William Saunders introduced the subject of an additional Public Works pickup truck by noting that the department’s growth over the last two years created the need for one.

In a Nov. 12 memorandum to the mayor and Town Council, Saunders stated that the town had received two bids for a new 2024 one-ton, 4-by-4, crew cab, single-rear-wheel pickup truck. One quote was for a Ford F-350, and the other quote was for a Chevrolet Silverado 3500. 

“The bids are as similar as possible from an existing procurement contract with a cooperative clause,” Saunders stated. “The Ford is from a procurement by York County, and the Chevrolet (is) one by the Virginia Sheriff’s Association. A quote for a vehicle from Stellantis (formerly Dodge) was not obtained, as one was not available with the same configurations.”

“I understand from Public Works staff that the Chevrolet has more standard features than the Ford, but that is not quantified in the attached quotes,” he added.

He stated that the quotes for both vehicles include the optional features that are desired by the Public Works Department. 

“The staff recommends the Ford F-350 from Hall Automotive based on the lower price,” he said. “However, either vehicle will serve the needs of the Public Works Department.” 

According to the quotes provided, the Ford F-350 from Hall Automotive – Fleet Team would cost $52,799, and the Chevrolet Silverado 3500 from RK Chevrolet Inc. would cost $56,451.30. The difference between prices is $3,652.30.

Bernacki said that when he received the information about the quotes, he started doing research and also drew from his background in automotive mechanic work as he deliberated on which vehicle would be the best one for the town to invest in.

“Even though it’s about $3,600 more, it’s money well spent now to get the Chevy Silverado,” he said. “In networking with a couple of municipalities and people in their fleet shops, they’re actually trying to segue out of the Fords, because there have been a lot of problems with the 350s, 450s and 550s, specifically electrical, front-end suspension issues.

“For example, our particular city where I work got two new ambulances, and we’re putting a brand new set of tires on each ambulance about once every three or four months because they can’t keep the front ends aligned,” he added. 

He noted that because the town keeps trucks like these quite a long time, the money Windsor would be saving in the long run if it selected the Chevy would translate into the $56,451.30 being money well spent.

He also noted that if the Ford were to break down, like other cities are experiencing, “that’s down time that our Public Works guys can’t use the truck. And we’re a small town, and we need that thing to be reliable.”

He said his recommendation would be to purchase the Chevy Silverado in lieu of the Ford for Public Works.

Councilman Marlin W. Sharp asked what the value was of the standard features of which the Chevy has more.

He added, “If those standard features are of greater value than $4,000, it’d be worth getting a more expensive truck.”

Bernacki said he did not have the information to provide an apples-to-apple comparison, but he suggested that standard features tend to be like creature comforts. He listed examples like the interior of a vehicle having more places to put equipment or cup holders, or a center console with places to put meters or whatever workers might be using with the water department.

Bernacki made the motion that the council purchase the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. There were only three votes cast because Vice Mayor J. Randy Carr, Councilman Jake Redd and Councilman David Adams were not present.